Radiowaves
by Risknight
Summary: He listened to her every weekend. She was soothing. Mysterious. He felt like he knew her. He had no idea how right he was.
1. Chapter 1

**There are an infinite number of realities out there according to Sheldon Cooper. In one, he may not dance, but he does listen to music. Specifically, he listen to the music played by DJ Queen P.**

It was her voice that first caught his attention. He was home for a visit and he could hear his mom and sister arguing in the living room. So he tuned into the first station he found on the radio and tried to drown them out. She called herself Queen P. She played an eclectic mix of music. A bit of country, a bit of rock, even a few oldies. She had a soft voice that seemed to beg you to pay attention. It was soothing, alluring, and (he would eventually admit) utterly sexy.

The first night he listened to drown out the volatile dispute between his mother and sister. The second night he listened because he want to hear her voice again.

* * *

Even after researching her online, he knew next to nothing about her. He was positive he could find out what he wanted to know, but he hesitated to do so after reading the bio on the radio station's website. Unlike the bios for the other radio personalities, there was no picture of Queen P. No personal info, not even a face book page, or blog link. All her bio said was "Queen P is grateful for each and every fan. She hopes that they will understand that she values her privacy very much. She hopes the fans will extend to her the courtesy of allowing her to remain in the shadows of radio."

What he did know was that her program was carried by stations all over the west coast. She broadcast out of Los Angeles on Friday and Saturday nights from 10pm until 4am. She never took calls or had guests on her show. You could send an email to the station to request a song, and maybe she would play it, maybe she wouldn't. She played three songs and then there was either a commercial break, or she would talk for a few minutes.

Most often when she talked, it was about life. Growing up on a farm, getting started in radio, living in California, and going to college. He wasn't sure where she was attending, but he knew from her show that she was just taking random classes. Sometimes she talked about a paper she was working on, or something she had just learned. She never gave any personal information, keeping everything she said fairly general, but he felt like he was getting to know her anyway.

In the beginning, he had recorded her shows while he slept and played them back over the course of the week. But he eventually abandoned that practice. He much preferred to listen to her as she broadcast. It made him feel connected to her. And he had developed a need for that connection.

* * *

The door opened and his roommate and friends walked in. Even after 4 years it was still a bit strange to him that he had friends. He was very glad some days that he took a chance on Leonard.

"Looks like we're finally getting a new neighbor," Leonard said as he set out the containers of food.

Sheldon frowned as he took his spot on the couch. "Yes, I heard the noise from across the hall. I saw two large men carrying in boxes. They are quite noisy. I am already typing up a complaint to management about how loud they are."

Howard rolled his eyes. "Those guys are just the movers, Sheldon. They aren't the one moving in. The new tenant is a woman."

Sheldon quirked an eyebrow at him. "What makes you think that?"

"Well, there's the two boxes of carebears, for one. The fluffy pink pillows, for another. Besides, Leonard asked them."

Sheldon looked at Leonard with surprise. "That was quite insightful of you, Leonard. Well done."

Leonard rolled his eyes. "So glad you approve," he muttered.

Sheldon took a bite of his dinner and looked sideways at his friend. "I don't suppose you asked the name and occupation of the new tenant?"

Leonard sighed. "No, I didn't why?"

Sheldon gave him a look of exasperation. "How else are we to discover if our new neighbor is a tap-dancing, maraca player who has a tendency to practice at night?" The guys rolled their eyes, knowing there was no use arguing with Sheldon.

* * *

She was a blonde waitress with a tendency to believe in hokum. She was inane, bubbly, and gorgeous. Her only goal in life seemed to be her desire to become an actress, which in his opinion, was a shallow pursuit. Sheldon wanted nothing to do with her. Leonard fell madly in love with her instantly.

Sheldon set his cup of tea on the bedside table and slipped his headphones on. He desperately needed to hear Queen P's voice. All week he had listened to Leonard moon over how beautiful Penny was and how they were destined for each other. Or he had listened to Leonard moan about how Penny now seemed to avoid them after Sheldon had cleaned her apartment.

" **Hello, my dear Nightowls. It's been a long week. I don't know about you, but I really need to unwind. Let's get started with something a bit mellow tonight. Here's some soothing jazz from the Dave Holland Quintet entitled Candlelight Vigil. So kick back, close those peepers and let the music carry you away."**

Sheldon relaxed against his headboard and, for the millionth time, tried to imagine what she looked like. She had a bit of Midwest in her voice so he pictured chestnut curls and big blue eyes. He placed a smattering of freckles across her nose and a pair of pale pink lips. His eyes popped open with frustration as the image turned into golden blonde locks, hazel eyes and a mischievous smile.

He closed his eyes again and once more tried to build up the image he wanted. Almost immediately Penny's form took over again. Sheldon groaned with frustration. Penny kept intruding! His chaotic neighbor had no business invading his relaxation time!

"Drift Away" began to play and he frowned. He knew Queen P's play lists very well. There were certain songs that indicated her moods. This was one she played when she was upset. He could be fairly certain that at some point in the night he would also hear Evanescense and Saving Abel. He wondered what had happened to make her angry. Just one more song and he would hear her voice again.

* * *

Penny sipped her coffee and leaned back in her chair. She thought back over her week and wondered what the most annoying part had been. Playing the ditz for her new neighbors, that one of them had snuck in while she was asleep to clean, or the way the short one treated her?

She had no interest in dating. Especially not after the way she and Kurt had ended. His cheating had cut her deeply. His abuse had hurt even more. He had been her first serious boyfriend. For three years they had been together. That relationship had shattered her confidence. The last thing she wanted or needed was infatuated neighbors.

Not that playing the ditz had worked. As soon as she had seen their work, she had screwed up. She had admired it without thinking. She was no genius, but even she knew how impressive it was. Luckily, she had shaken herself out of her awe quickly and tried to put them both off by acting one-dimensional. She had hoped they would lose any interest once they thought she was stupid.

Turns out, Leonard didn't care. He only saw her outer appearance and didn't care about her mind. She had noticed a definite cooling on Sheldon's part, so it wasn't a complete failure. And the way she had told them off for being in her apartment may have sealed the deal as far as the taller one was concerned.

She sighed and ran a hand through her hair. She needed a distraction from home. Bernadette, her producer, was gone to get them some coffee and snacks, so she was all alone and likely to be for at least 30 minutes while Bernie flirted with the guys at the coffee shop. An idea flittered through her mind and she chewed her bottom lip.

"She Will Be Loved" was coming to a close so she set up the next trio of songs and leaned in close to the mic.

" **Okay, Nightowls. As any of you regulars know, when I enter the booth, I take the phone off the hook. I never take calls, because I find it distracting and well, to be honest, I have a tendency to be greedy. I play what I like and while I hope you find it enjoyable too, I'm too miserly to allow anyone else to share my time slot. Tonight, though, I'm going to turn this over to you. I'm placing the phone back on the hook. So, give me a call. Make a request. If I have it, I'll play it. The number is….wait a minute. I've never taken calls before so…okay, it's 555-8255. Come on, my pretties. Tell me what you want to hear. That number is 555-8255."**

Sheldon gasped and reached for his phone quickly. He paused a moment and wondered if he really wanted to do this. Actually speak to the woman he spent so much time fantasizing about. After four years of only listening to her on the radio it seemed almost…intimate. He took a deep breath and dialed.

* * *

 **I while back I took a break from this fandom because I was disheartened by the downward spiral the show began in season 5 and has continued into the present. It was almost impossible to write anything that I felt happy about posting. This story was one I started a long time ago and then forgot about. While trying to retrieve my files from a dying computer I found it again and realized that I still had at least one more story in me for Penny and Sheldon.**


	2. Chapter 2

_**Sheldon is infatuated with a woman he thinks he has never met. Penny is about to discover that one of her biggest fans is also her irritating, big brained neighbor.**_

* * *

She hadn't really expected the response she got. She knew her program had good numbers, which is why management let her dictate her programming. She got a fair amount of fan mail, but she was surprised at how quickly the phone lit up and how long it stayed that way. She had been taking requests for almost two hours now. It was astounding how many called just to say they loved her show. The requests she got were for songs she tended to play anyway. She was gratified and humbled by the listeners response.

She answered a line as Bernie set another bear claw and fresh coffee in front of her. "Hello, sugar. Thanks for calling the show. What's your name?"

"Dr. Sheldon Cooper."

Penny froze and almost hung up. Cautiously, she spoke. "What can I do for you, Dr. Sheldon Cooper?" Bernadette looked at her curiously.

"I enjoy your show very much. I have been listening to you for three years. Would you please play "Bop" by Dan Seals?"

Penny sat up a bit straighter. What was he up to? "That's a favorite of mine," she said softly.

"I know," he replied. "You said two years ago that it brought back memories of your grandmother. I thought it might cheer you up."

"You're requesting a song for me?" she murmured in surprise.

"Yes, please. I do not listen to any other programs. I don't care for you being sad. I would rather you be happy."

Penny was silent for a couple of seconds. "Thank you," she said gently. He hung up after a lightning quick goodbye. She programmed in the song and waited for the current one to end. She ignored Bernie's curious looks. She took a steadying breath and leaned in to the mic.

" **This next one is special to me. I can remember my Granny dancing around the kitchen as she baked to this song. Every time I hear it, I can almost smell her banana bread. Tonight, though, it holds a new memory. The night a very sweet guy used it to make me smile. Thank you, Sheldon. I'll never forget your kindness. Here's "Bop" by Dan Seals."**

Sheldon sat on his bed and smiled as a blush crept up his cheeks. He was very proud that he had made her happy. He hoped she meant it when she said she would never forget it.

* * *

Penny was just coming up the steps as Leonard, Sheldon and their two friends were coming down, late Sunday morning. She looked at Sheldon carefully and was relieved to see only boredom in his expression. He didn't appear to know who she really was, to her relief. Leonard, however, was looking at her with jealousy.

"Are you just getting home?" he asked.

She nodded. "Yep. Out with a friend."

"We're going to be late," Sheldon stage whispered to the Indian guy. What was his name again? she wondered.

She rolled her eyes and blew him a kiss on impulse. He jerked back against the wall as if she had tried to actually kiss him. Penny moved on up the stairs without another word. She turned the corner and heard Leonard hiss at Sheldon.

"If you keep that up, she'll never speak to me!"

* * *

Sheldon scowled at his laptop. He couldn't get his mind to focus for once. He was trying to type up his equations but his mind kept flashing to the past week. First there was the way Penny had stared at him with alarm, and then the innocuous kiss she blew him, filling the air with germs on Sunday. Not to mention the way her barely clad body brushed past his in the laundry room as she exited upon his entry on Monday. That woman was a complete enigma to him. Nothing she did made sense!

She had looked at him if she knew something he didn't. Sheldon snorted. As if anything she knew, and he didn't, was worthwhile. But the moment he had entered the laundry room to retrieve the detergent Leonard had forgotten, she had turned pale and scampered off like a frightened deer, almost as if she was intimidated by him. Which was just nonsense. She had nothing to fear from him, besides his scathing wit. He had never raised a hand to a woman and had no intention of doing so. He had to admit, she wasn't a bad neighbor. She kept to herself for the most part, despite Leonard's nearly constant invitations. She did not own maracas, or tap-shoes. Although she did own an inordinate amount of high heels and Uggs. She wasn't unpleasant to look at.

He sighed and looked toward his window. What on earth was wrong with him? He had only ever found one woman attractive, and he had never even seen her. Queen P's voice was often in his dreams. He knew her through her tone and music. He could pinpoint her moods based on those two things, something he had no ability to do with others. He cared about Queen P.

So why would he even glance in Penny's direction? His feelings for Queen P were real. She mattered to him. He had even adjusted his schedule for her. He had never done so for anyone else. But yet, Penny was beginning to play prominently in his dreams also.

The thought that he might not be a faithful man was abhorrent. He had spent his childhood watching his mother suffer through his father's infidelity. Was the physical attraction he felt for Penny due to his never having met Queen P in the flesh? Maybe what he thought he felt for Queen P was only the result of how mysterious she was. Her voice could sooth him, excite him, even arouse him. No other woman he had ever met, seen or heard had that effect on him. Until Penny.

With a sigh Sheldon shut off his laptop. It was almost time for lunch and his friends would be there soon.

* * *

Penny shifted her basket of laundry higher on her hip. She was frustrated and tired. A customer at the Cheesecake Factory had spilled his raspberry lemonade all over her. Then her creepy boss had decided to do inventory. It was practically impossible to avoid his groping hands in the small freezers. She wasn't really looking forward to her radio show tonight. She was too edgy. She turned the corner to the second floor and ran right into Sheldon. He bounced back into Leonard and she fell back on her butt. Her laundry went everywhere.

"Damn it!" she muttered as she rotated her sore wrist. She looked over at Sheldon who was picking up her clothes gingerly. "Are you okay, sugar? I'm really sorry."

Sheldon nodded as Leonard moved to check on Penny. "I am unharmed. Is your wrist damaged?"

She shrugged. "I hit it on the rail, but it's okay." Leonard took it in his hands and checked it over for a second before Penny gently pulled away from him.

Sheldon scooped up the laundry into her basket and held it out for her. She took it from him with a nod and soft thanks. "Sorry," she whispered before hurrying down the stairs. She reached the laundry room and leaned back against the door for a moment. How could she let one skinny neurotic genius discombobulate her so much? She had spent the last week thinking of little beyond his call. Why did he have to be so kind to her real self?

She set her basket down and threw her clothes in the wash. She added detergent and started the machine before hopping up to sit on it. She ran a hand through her hair and sighed heavily. Well, she had learned her lesson. Never again would she take calls.


	3. Chapter 3

_**Sheldon's life is all about structure and routine. The arrival of his new neighbor is disrupting that. Try as he might, he can't get her out of his head.**_

* * *

Sheldon lay on his bed, disgusted with himself. He could still smell her strawberries and cream scent on his hands from her laundry. When she had fallen he had been so very tempted to rush to her side and cradle her injured wrist. He had actually felt the urge to snatch her from his friend's hands! How could she affect him so? She was his complete opposite! He was a genius. She barely finished high school. He was a scientist. She was only a waitress. He was organized. She was chaos personified!

He stubbornly waited for the beginning of the show. He refused to give Penny, or his attraction to her, any attention. It was Queen P he admired and cared for. Not his flaky, irritating, gorgeous, golden skinned neighbor with the long legs and lush lips. Sheldon sat up abruptly with a huff. This was getting ridiculous!

* * *

She settled into the booth and cycled through her usual play lists. She was feeling edgy tonight. Her skin seemed too tight and her pulse pounded in her ears. She felt like a coiled spring. She really needed to get laid. She programmed in the first three songs of the night and waited for Bernadette to give her the signal. 9 seconds later her mic was live.

" **Hello, my Nightowls. Tonight is going to be a bit different. Tonight we aren't going to just lay back and go with the flow. Tonight I'm going to take you on a journey. Do you trust me? Are you willing to follow my lead?"** Her voice dropped into a soft husky tone. " **Can you keep up?"** She started the first song and Ram Jam's "Black Betty" pulsed in her ears.

* * *

Sheldon frowned as he adjusted his headphones. He had never heard her play this song before. He couldn't anticipate her when she introduced a new song. Especially one with such a different sound than her usual fare. But more than that, her tone was different. He had never heard that cadence before. She didn't sound happy, mad, sad or even bored. Her voice was tense, almost forceful. What was going on with Queen P?

Next up was "If I Never See Your Face Again", a song she rarely played. He waited patiently, wondering what was next. He placed his hands behind his head and the faint scent of strawberries hit him again.

He closed his eyes tight and tried to focus on the music. Only one more song and then he would hear Queen P's voice again. Her words would help block out his neighbor's countenance. He would eradicate Penny's presence in his mind at all costs! She was an unnecessary distraction that he was determined to get over. When the song ended there was no third one, much to his surprise.

" **My dear Nightowls, can you feel it? Can you feel the intensity? Tonight is going to be rough, raw and off the beaten path. The music is going to pound through our veins. It's going to light us on fire."** He closed his eyes and let her voice wash over him.

" **Tonight we're going to walk on hot coals. We're going to smolder. We're going to burn, my pretties. We're going to go super nova. So, tell me, my dear Nightowls…."**

He felt his pulse speed up as her words burned themselves into his brain.

" **Are you prepared to explode tonight?"** she purred.

His blood pounded in his ears as he struggled to remain calm. A new song started, but he only vaguely listened to it. Her voice was so sensuous. Especially tonight with that yearning tone. Sheldon's eyes popped open as the idea struck. Was that what was wrong?

Could he be right? Was Queen P simply sexually frustrated? He made his decision quickly. He grabbed his laptop and went to the station's website for their email address. He opened his email and typed quickly before he could change his mind.

 _You sound uneasy tonight. Is anything wrong? - Dr. Sheldon Cooper_

He knew the chances of her responding were slim. The chances of her responding during the show were even lower. So, he was surprised to receive an reply ten minutes later.

 _Nothing to worry about. Thank you for asking, sugar. - Queen P_

Sheldon tried to think of a delicate way of asking her if his theory was correct. Her voice ticked his ears again.

" **Are you still with me, my pretties? Is your pulse beating frantically? Is the music coursing through your body like an electric jolt? Is your heart keeping time with the drumbeat?"** She paused for a moment. **"Mine is,"** she admitted huskily.

He groaned and closed his eyes. Her voice was pure temptation tonight. "Soul On Fire" by H.I.M. started as he typed out a new message.

* * *

Her laptop was open beside her and she stared at the unopened message on the screen. She nibbled on her bottom lip and wondered if she should read it. It wasn't smart. She should avoid him at all costs. The man was already invading her every waking hour. And quite a few of her asleep ones, too. He knew her, the real her, too well as it was. She couldn't afford for him to find out she was his neighbor. She decided to ignore it.

Bernadette stepped into the booth a few minutes later with a couple cups of coffee. "You okay, girl? You seem a bit out of the norm, tonight. Everything okay?"

She sipped her coffee and gave her producer a wry grin. "Just tired of sleeping alone, but not desperate enough to hook up with just anyone."

Bernie laughed and took the seat across the panel from her. She pointed to the laptop. "So, who's that?"

Penny sighed and looked at the message notice on the screen. "Cooper." She had already told her friend all about her neighbors. She set her coffee down and opened the message.

 _I hope I do not offend, or alarm you, but I am always available if you need to talk. - Dr. Sheldon Cooper_

Bernie smirked as she read the message. "Eager to make friends, isn't he? _"_

Penny shrugged and turned to the mic. Bernie's words burned in her mind. "Eager" and "Sheldon" brought up a whole host of naughty images from her dreams. The last song ended and she licked her lips. Instead of talking, she quickly programed in "Cover You In Oil" by AC/DC. She had to get Cooper out of her mind.

* * *

 **"Our time is drawing to a close, my darlings. Have you enjoyed our night? Has the music made you feel alive? I know it has me. I feel absolutely vibrant right now. Take my advice, Nightowls. Never give up. Never give in. Live life to it's fullest. It's not what we do that we regret most. It's what we are too scared to attempt that we lament."**

Sheldon waited for the sign on for the next program before turning off the radio. He hadn't gotten a response to the second email he had sent two hours ago, much to his disappointment. He wasn't surprised, though. Queen P guarded her privacy so determinedly, that he had almost no chance of striking up a real friendship with her.

He was just putting away his headphones when a new message notification popped up. Sheldon's mouth was suddenly dry, and he felt a bit nervous. She had answered him!


	4. Chapter 4

_**Sheldon can't keep Penny out of his head. Little does he know she's the same woman he has spent the last 3 years dreaming about.**_

 _ **Penny has done her best to discourage the guys across the hall. She's not interested in a romance. So why does the tall neurotic one keep getting under her skin?**_

* * *

 _I appreciate your concern. I hope you don't take offense, but I am a very private person. I find it very uncomfortable discussing personal issues with someone I do not know. Take care, Dr. Cooper. I am humbled by your offer. - Queen P_

Sheldon read it several times over the last two days. He tried to figure out if there was a hidden meaning in her message. Was she telling him to go away? Or was she telling him they needed to be closer before she would be able to talk about how she felt? He wished for once that he was better versed in social nuances. It would make deciphering Queen P easier.

He heard footsteps in the hall and frowned. It would probably also help him understand Penny. She was avoiding him and he had no idea why. Twice he had run into her in the lobby, and the instant she saw him, she would take off. Once they had met in the stairwell and she had immediately looked down and blushed.

Leonard had asked him eleven times what he had done. He had fiercely declared his innocence, but none of his friends believed him. Sheldon abruptly stood and strode across the floor. He opened his door and crossed the hall. He raised his hand and knocked carefully on Penny's door.

Knock, knock, knock. "Penny?"

Knock, knock, knock. "Penny?"

Knock, knock, knock. "Penny?"

The door opened a few inches and Penny looked up at him warily. "Can I help you, Sheldon?"

Sheldon clasped his hands behind his back. "Good afternoon, Penny. I would like to ask you what I have done to make you dislike me."

Penny's eyes grew wide and she blushed. With a sigh she opened the door more and leaned against the frame. "I don't dislike you, Sheldon. I'm just …" She ran a hand through her hair. "Look, I'm sorry, okay? I didn't mean to treat you bad. I guess I just don't want to make friends with anyone. It's not personal." Penny looked down at the floor so he wouldn't see the lie in her eyes.

Sheldon frowned. "I do not want to be friends either," he asserted firmly. For some reason her words pricked his pride. What possible objection could she have? He was an incredible friend! Look at how patient he was with Leonard, Howard and Raj! He resisted the urge to stick out his tongue.

"And I didn't want to be friends long before you didn't want to be friends!" He turned quickly and hurried back into his apartment. The audacity of the woman!

Penny stared at the closed door to 4A in confusion. What the hell was that? She closed her door and went back into her kitchen. She finished chopping the chicken for her stir fry and tried to put Sheldon from her mind. Not that she had much success whenever she tried. The tall, lanky physicist had a way of worming back into her consciousness mere minutes after she banished him.

Penny quickly prepared her food and sat down in front of the TV to eat. She channel surfed until she found a documentary on silent films. She settled back on the couch and quickly lost herself in the past.

* * *

Sheldon paced his room angrily. Who was she to decide if they were friends or not? As if someone like her could ever measure up to his standard of friendship anyway! He liked his friends to be intelligent and interested in the same things he was interested in. He had no use whatsoever for a flighty ex-cheerleader who's main body of knowledge was gleaned from tabloids. He was better off without her chaos, anyway. Sheldon slumped on the side of his bed. Now, if he could just get rid of this unwanted physical attraction!

* * *

Sheldon hated disruptions to his schedule. Having the laundry room closed for maintenance had delayed laundry night which made him anxious to get it done as quickly as possible. He shifted his laundry basket as he stepped through the door into the laundry room. He looked up. He froze. His laundry basket hit the floor. A scream reverberated through the room.

 **Five minutes earlier**

Penny placed her quarters into the slots and shoved them into the machine. She hit the button to start the washer and immediately water sprayed up from the back and doused her. She gasped and hopped out of the way. Water was quickly spreading across the floor so Penny did what any sensible person would do. She ran over, shoved the machine away from the wall and unplugged it.

As she raised back up, her t-shirt got caught on a piece of bent metal and ripped up the front. It also cut shallowly into her stomach and blood pebbled on her skin only to quickly mix with water and streak down to her shorts. Penny cussed explicitly under her breath and pulled the torn shirt off. She turned to grab a washcloth from her basket to wipe away the blood and found Sheldon staring at her. He dropped his basket and screamed in terror.

 **Ten minutes later**

Penny watched as Sheldon's nimble fingers placed the butterfly bandages on the cuts. He had insisted on tending to the cuts immediately which is why she was currently sitting on the toilet lid in his bathroom. He had gently cleaned the cuts, spread Neosporin over them and bandaged them. He handed Penny a simple white undershirt and she slipped it over her head. It was thin enough to show her royal purple bra, but it was incredibly soft and smelled like talc and Axe Excite.

"Thanks," she said softly.

Sheldon nodded and began cleaning up the debris. He put away the first aid kit and watched her stand and walk to the door from the corner of his eye. He cleared his throat nervously, drawing her attention. "I lied," he mumbled.

Penny paused and looked at him with confusion. "About what?"

Sheldon sighed and turned to face her. He blushed lightly and placed his hands behind his back, so she couldn't see him nervously twist them together. "I really would like to be your friend."

Penny's eyes went wide and she quickly opened the door. Sheldon hurried after her as she moved swiftly toward the front door. At some point during his assistance to Penny, Leonard, Howard and Raj had come in. They looked on in shock as Penny swept past them and out the door. Sheldon hurried after her, catching her on the stairs.

He watched with trepidation as she spun to face him. He opened his mouth but Penny stopped him from speaking. "It's not you, okay? It's me. I…" Penny ran a hand through her hair in agitation. "I don't make friends, okay? It's hard for me to trust people because…" Penny shook her head and turned to go back down the stairs.

Sheldon thought about what she had said, and what she hadn't said. He realized there were a lot of similarities between the two of them.

"Um, want to catch me up?" Leonard asked from the door of 4A.

Sheldon shook his head and looked at his two friends. "Catch you up over what?"

"Why were you and Penny in the bathroom and why is she wearing your shirt?" Leonard asked angrily.

Sheldon frowned slightly. "Penny hurt herself in the laundry room. I cleaned and bandaged the cuts, and replaced her damaged her shirt with a spare one of mine."

Howard grinned widely. "Did you kiss the boo-boos? I would have."

All three men looked at Howard with disgust and he shrugged unrepentantly. Sheldon headed down the stairs, leaving the others staring after him with varying degrees of envy.

He stepped into the laundry room to see Penny mopping up the water off the floor. He moved to the unplugged washer and removed her clothes from it. He transferred them all to another machine and started it up. They worked in silence to finish cleaning up the laundry room. As he threw away the last paper towel, he looked at Penny.

"I don't make friends easily either. I spent my first 11 years being bullied. The next 6 years I spent in colleges, often a full decade younger than everyone else around me. Until Leonard moved in I never had a real friend. Now I have three." Sheldon paused and replayed Howard's last words in his head. "Well, two, and a treasured acquaintance. I understand your reluctance to trust. But I find myself interested in you. I do not understand what the appeal is. I do not understand what keeps drawing me to you."

Penny held up a hand immediately. "I am hesitant about making friends, but I am absolutely adamant that I am not looking for romance! Someone I was involved with hurt me really badly and I am not anxious to repeat that experience."

Sheldon instinctively drew back from her outstretched hand. He shuddered slightly and Penny looked at him curiously. Sheldon sighed and his cheeks became flushed with embarrassment. "Please excuse me. I do not enjoy being touched. I have a phobia about germs."

Penny's head tilted. "Then how do you date?"

"I don't," Sheldon admitted. "I have never had a girlfriend. I have never had an interest in dating. I have always felt that relationships detract from research." He paused to try and decide what would be the best way to indicate that he was drawn to her without making her bolt again.

Before he could, she smiled. "Okay. Let's try to be friends."


	5. Chapter 5

_**Sheldon isn't exactly sure what happened. He had been in the middle of trying to figure out how to tell his lovely neighbor that he was interested in her, despite his phobias. Before he could find the right words, she was suddenly willing to be his friend. All on the mistaken belief that he was uninterested in her.**_

* * *

Sheldon smoothed his shirts down and raised his hand to Penny's door.

Knock, knock, knock "Penny."

Knock, knock, knock "Penny."

Knock, knock, knock "Penny."

Sheldon cleared his throat as Penny opened the door. "Good afternoon, Penny. It is Friday and as such, Leonard, Howard, Raj and I will be having pizza and playing the original Sonic the Hedgehog. Would you like to join us?"

Penny saw Leonard watching them from the kitchen in 4A. Penny bit her bottom lip and shook her head. "I'm sorry, Sheldon, but I have plans tonight. I spend every Friday and Saturday night with my friend Bernadette."

Sheldon twitched slightly and tried again. "Your friend would be very welcome to join us also. I will simply order another pizza."

Penny wanted to step back into her apartment, out of Leonard's line of sight. He made her nervous with his intense crush. "Sheldon, that's really sweet of you, but I always go to L.A. on the weekends to see Bernie. It's kind of our routine. Some music and fun, just the two of us. You know, a casual weekend thing."

Sheldon nodded, understanding dawning. He kept his expression neutral, hiding the dismay inside. "Maybe another night, then," he said simply. "I hope you and your friend have a good evening."

Penny nodded and moved to close her door.

"Penny?"

She looked up as Sheldon turned back to her. "Monday is Thai night, and Doctor Who. Would you be interested in joining us for that?"

Penny bit back her initial refusal and paused. "That sounds like fun," she said instead. "I work the lunch shift so I'll be home a little before 6. What time should I be over?"

Sheldon smiled slightly. "7 pm. Do not be late, please."

Penny grinned, noting the relief in his eyes. "Yes, Sheldon. I'll see you then." She closed her door and leaned against it. What in the hell was she getting herself in to?

* * *

Sheldon walked back into his own apartment and headed to the kitchen for a bottle of water. Leonard sat down at his desk, trying to appear nonchalant. Sheldon moved over to the couch and sat down in his spot. He waited for the inevitable confrontation. He knew his friends thought he was clueless when it came to emotions, but the truth was, he understood them, he just didn't care about them.

After 3 minutes, Leonard turned around. "Sheldon, what are you doing with Penny?"

Sheldon quirked an eye at him. "I asked her to join us for dinner. She has previous plans, though. She will be joining us on Monday, though." Sheldon frowned slightly. "Should I have invited her girlfriend, also?"

Leonard's eyes popped out and he sputtered. "G… g… girlfriend?"

Sheldon nodded. "When I inquired about her joining us tonight, she explained she has a standing weekend date with someone named Bernadette. Although she did insist it was a casual type of thing. Maybe more of a friends with benefits arrangement, I guess."

Leonard slumped in his chair. "Oh," he said glumly.

Sheldon watched the infatuation in his roommates eyes fade. Well, at least he no longer had to contend with Leonard's crush. Now if he could just rid himself of his own.

* * *

Penny had promised herself that she wouldn't even open her laptop during the show. Of course, she had also promised herself that she would avoid her neighbor at all costs and look how well she kept that promise.

Bernadette set a cup of coffee in front of her and took one of the other seats in the booth. "So, what's all this?" she asked, waving a hand at the stack of newspapers.

Penny looked at them a bit guiltily. "Want ads. I was thinking of moving," she muttered. She looked back down at the play-list she was preparing and waited. When Bernie still hadn't said anything five minutes later, she looked up to find her old friend watching her with amusement.

"What?" Penny asked warily.

"This Cooper must be quite a specimen of manhood to get your panties in such a twist."

Penny snorted. "He's skinny, opinionated, arrogant, egotistical, and a know-it-all."

Bernie chose her words carefully, knowing full well how skittish her friend was. "Describe him to me, I'm having trouble picturing this guy."

Penny thought about Sheldon as he had looked this afternoon when he had knocked on her door. "Dark hair, like those Dove truffle eggs you gave me for Easter. Blue doesn't really do his eyes justice. More like new dark denim jeans. Long limbs, and he moves a bit awkwardly. Like he's afraid to knock into something, so he keeps his arms close to his sides. He's pale, almost like a vampire. He has pianist hands, long fingers and slim wrists. But it's his mouth you have to watch out for." She looked at Bernie wryly. "It never stops lecturing."

Penny blushed slightly and looked back at her play-list. "And he is expecting me on Monday for Thai food," she muttered.

Bernadette burst out laughing. "Oh, honey! He's got you hooked, doesn't he?"

Penny groaned and closed her eyes. "Oh god, Bernie! I don't want a guy! I don't want anything to do with romance or emotions right now!"

Bernie scooted her chair around and threaded her left hand into Penny's right. "Penny, I'm going to give you a bit of tough love now. You and Kurt were never meant to be. That last year was especially horrible. You two rarely spoke, you didn't sleep together, and when you were around each other, you fought. I know he hurt you, but the relationship was already over. I know he tore you down a lot, but you have to know he never said a truthful thing in his life. And if your honest with me and especially you, you'll admit it, too."

Bernie took the play-list away from her and pulled Penny into a gentle hug. "For months now, all you ever talk about is how annoyed Cooper makes you. But as mad as you get, he makes your eyes light up. You've spend more time talking and complaining about your neurotic neighbor in the last 3 months than you did about Kurt in 3 years. He affects you. And I think you do the same to him. Just look at those emails."

Penny sighed and let her best friend hold her. "He has no idea that Penny and Queen P are the same person, Bernie."

Bernadette snorted, her tiny body shaking with laughter. "He may not have put it together yet, but I'm willing to bet good money that if you give him time, he'll figure it out."

After a moment of silence Penny sat back up. "I'm not so sure that's such a good thing. What if, once he finds out, he ends up liking me _because_ I'm Queen P?"

Bernadette almost danced with joy at her friend's inadvertent admission of interest. "Then I guess you have two options. Get to know this guy better so you know if it's likely to only be idol worship, or if he really likes the person you are."

"Or?" prompted Penny.

Bernadette waved toward the newspapers. "Or move away."

* * *

Sunday afternoon, Sheldon frowned as he looked up from his laptop. Leonard was with Howard at Raj's place, watching a Babylon 5 marathon. He wasn't expecting anyone. He briefly considered ignoring it, since he was at a crucial point in his equations, but there was a second knock. With a sigh of exasperation he stood and walked over and opened the door.

"Yes?" he asked. He was stunned to see Penny standing there.

"Hello, Sheldon," Penny said with a slight smile. "I was wondering if you wanted to grab some lunch with me."

Sheldon's eyes widened. "You want to eat with me?"

Penny laughed lightly. "Sure. I was heading out to the Cheesecake factory. They have really good burgers. Want to come with me?"

Sheldon's mind sped lightning fast through the situation. He had work to do. He had never approved that restaurant. He rarely got time alone to work on his theories at home. He had eaten an hour ago. He quickly nodded. "I would like to join you." He grabbed his jacket, wallet and keys. He shut the door behind him and followed Penny down the stairwell, wondering why he could not say no to her. Then he wondered why that admission didn't bother him as much as it should have.


	6. Chapter 6

_**Penny and Sheldon are slowly getting to know each other.  
**_

* * *

He glanced at her dashboard with trepidation. "Penny, your check engine light is on."

She nodded. "I know. It's been on since I bought it."

He looked at her in horror. "Have you not gotten it looked at?"

Penny shook her head. "I looked at it myself. It's a short in the wire."

"How can you be sure," he asked nervously. "Are you a mechanic?"

Penny glanced at him with a frown. "No. But I know engines. I rebuilt a tractor when I was 12. I fixed all the cars and trucks on my family's farm when I was growing up. Heck, I took shop class instead of nursing in high school. I once put together a 1975 Ford Mustang 11 engine all by myself. Trust me, it's just a bad wire."

Sheldon snorted. "If it's just a wire, why not fix it?"

Penny gritted her teeth, beginning to regret inviting him. No matter how appealing he was. "Because it's a lot of work for something that doesn't matter," she almost growled. "You can't just reach in, pull it out, and then shove another in it's place. It's a bit more complicated than replacing a shoelace."

Sheldon pinched his right thigh to try and stop himself from talking. He knew he was annoying her, and he didn't want her to regret inviting him out. He looked out the side window and tried to think of something to say that wouldn't sound so much like a criticism. "How did you discover the Cheesecake Factory?"

Penny glanced at him. "I work there. Which means I know how clean the kitchen is. I don't eat out much, because you never know if the kitchen or staff are dirty or not. Here, I know exactly what's going on in the back, so I know I can eat the food without worry."

Sheldon looked at her with surprise. "I am impressed. Considering the state of your apartment, I would not have thought you would care about such things."

Penny wasn't sure if that was a jab at her or not. "Does my apartment bother you so much?"

Sheldon blushed and looked down at his hands. Penny pulled into the lot and parked. She looked at him briefly before getting out. Sheldon followed her into the restaurant, a bit wary of this unknown establishment.

Penny didn't bother with the hostess, just waved in a friendly manner as she breezed on by, and led him to a small table in a corner. Sheldon looked around at the décor, noting how popular this place was, if the many patrons eating was any indication. A waitress appeared and handed them menus. Penny didn't bother to open hers. "Bacon, BBQ cheeseburger with sweet potato fries and sweet tea, please."

Sheldon looked at Penny and then handed his menu back to the waitress. "For me as well, please."

The waitress nodded and walked away with the menus. Penny smiled and tilted her head. "So, what did you do over the weekend?"

Sheldon cleared his throat and smoothed a napkin over his lap. "I have been working on my theories of how sub-atomic particles move."

Penny frowned a bit. "You're string thingies right?"

He looked at her, appalled. "String thingies?"

Penny blushed and looked away. "Sorry. I got that wrong, huh?"

Sheldon began explain exactly what sub-atomic particles were. He paused when the waitress brought over their drinks and looked at Penny. Her eyes were glazed and a bit lost looking.

After a second she shook her head. "I'm sorry, Sheldon. I just don't understand it."

Once again he wondered how he could have the slightest interest in someone so much less intelligent than himself. In his agitation he spoke without thinking. "Considering the entropy that is your apartment, I am not surprised you have little interest in order and energy," he muttered.

He flushed a deep red and cringed, waiting on the inevitable explosion of anger.

"Sheldon, would it help if I cleaned up according to that chart you made?"

He looked at her in surprise. She didn't appear to be angry. If anything she was curious. Their waitress appeared with their food and he waited until she left to reply. "I could help if you want," he offered softly.

"Do you have OCD?" Penny asked.

He shook his head. "I have never been diagnosis as such. I dislike disorder. Things have a proper place, and I am uncomfortable when they are not in it."

Penny picked up a fry and ate it. She nodded slowly, as if making a big decision finally. "Well, after we eat, we can go back and you can go over the chart with me again. I'll try to abide by it."

Giddy pleasure ran though him, and he leaned forward eagerly. "I look forward to it," he said.

Penny laughed lightly. "Eat first, plan later."

Sheldon picked up his burger and took a bite. It was better than the burgers he got at Big Boy. The rest of the meal was spent talking about generalities.

* * *

Sheldon was in the process of reorganizing her kitchen cupboards (really? Soup bowls stacked on top of tea cups?) when there was a knock on the front door. Penny had left to pick up pizzas for them so he hesitantly walked over and peered out the peep hole. All he could see was blond hair, so he opened the door curiously.

"May I help you?" he asked the diminutive woman looked at him curiously.

She smiled widely. "I doubt it. I'm Penny's ..friend. Bernadette Rostenkowski. You must be Sheldon Cooper." Bernie bit the inside of her lip as she hung up her coat. She had almost said producer, and that would have spilled the beans on Penny's real career.

Sheldon immediately stepped to the side and shut the door. He looked over Penny's girlfriend carefully. He felt a surge of competitiveness and tried to tamp it down. This was the person Penny had chosen to be with. He had no business feeling jealous.

Bernadette looked around the apartment in astonishment. "Oh my!" She looked back at Sheldon. "Does Penny know you're doing this? You know what happened the last time," she warned.

Sheldon blushed and shuffled back to the kitchen. "Yes. She will be back very soon. She left for pizza. I am helping her reorganize her living space."

Bernadette walked over and hopped up onto a stool in front of the island. Her legs swung rhythmically as she leaned her chin on her clasped hands. "So, Penny says you're some kind of genius guy."

Sheldon felt a surge of pleasure that Penny had mentioned him to her girlfriend. "I am a theoretical physicist at Cal-tech. And yes, I am a genius."

Bernadette's falsetto giggle covered the sound of the front door opening. Neither of them noticed Penny enter the apartment. She looked at her two friends curiously. Bernie was giggling, and Sheldon was blushing lightly. Penny's eyes grew wide. She felt as if she was intruding on something intimate.

Bernie looked over before she could decide what to do about it, and hopped down. "Hey," she smiled as she took the drinks and bag of garlic bread from Penny.

Penny smiled at her friend before turning toward Sheldon, who was staring at them intently as if he was upset. Penny placed the pizza on the counter and looked up at him with concern. "What's wrong, sugar?"

Sheldon looked down at his shoes. "Nothing. I was just wondering if you and your girlfriend would prefer to dine alone. I don't want to be a 'third wheel' if you have plans together."

Penny's jaw dropped and she heard Bernie burst into loud peals of laughter. "Sheldon, Bernadette and I are just friends. Best friends, granted, but we're both straight."

Sheldon looked up quickly, reading honesty and amusement in Penny's expression. "Oh. I apologize. I assumed from our earlier conversation you and Bernadette were involved in some way. You mentioned that you have a standing date every weekend to be together."

Penny blushed as she realized the implications. "Sorry about that. I didn't mean it the way it sounded. Bernie and I have been friends for years. I met her when I was in junior rodeo back in Omaha. Her dad is a huge rodeo fan and on a hunting trip he dragged the whole family to an event. I met Bernie when she got separated from her dad and ended up wandering into the paddock."

Bernie laughed musically. "I was more scared of the huge bulls than I was of being lost. This one snorted and bumped the gate and I screamed. A group of girls laughed at me and Penny came to my rescue."

"I never did like Cheryl," Penny muttered. "Vapid, slutty princess."

Bernadette patted Penny's shoulder consolingly. "She let me hang out with her until the end of the rodeo. She won 2nd place in calf roping and 1st in barrel racing."

Penny grinned with pride. "It was a good day. Two awards, and a new best friend." Sheldon placed plates on the table and opened the pizza boxes. He froze when Penny walked around him, and patted his arm. "Kind of like today. A clean apartment and a new close friend."

Bernadette smiled to herself as she watched the attraction in Sheldon flare in his eyes. He covered it up almost immediately, but he wasn't quick enough. She already knew Penny had at least a little bit of interest in the tall scientist. Now she just had to wait for them to realize their feelings were mutual.


	7. Chapter 7

_**Sheldon discovers he was wrong about Penny and Bernadette's relationship. Unfortunately, Penny's secret is about to be revealed. Can Sheldon handle it, or will this drive them apart?  
**_

* * *

Bernadette was in the bathroom when Penny looked over at Sheldon. He was wiping down the table while she threw away the trash. She cleared her throat uncomfortably. "So, you and Bernie looked like you were getting to know each other pretty well when I got back."

Sheldon glanced at her with confusion. "We had introduced ourselves and I was telling her about my job."

Penny bit her lower lip lightly. "She's single, you know. You could ask her out."

Sheldon turned to Penny and shook his head quickly. "Why on earth would I want to do that?"

Penny shrugged, ignoring the hint of jealousy in her own voice. "I don't know. You two looked kind of intimate when I walked in. You looked like you were interested."

"No!" he quickly said. "Penny, let me assure you that I have no interest in your friend!"

Before Sheldon could say more, Bernadette walked back into the room. "My god, Penny! I've never seen a tub so squeaky clean!"

Penny nodded toward Sheldon. She was stunned to realize she was actually more than a little attracted to Sheldon, but he was becoming her friend. Penny wasn't sure what to do about the attraction she could sense growing in her. Was she really open to something romantic with Sheldon? And even if _she_ was, what about him? "Sheldon did it. He has his own homemade cleaner."

Bernadette looked at Sheldon curiously. "Really? I don't suppose there's any way I could get some, is there? Or get you to come clean my tub?" she joked.

Sheldon looked at Bernadette with wide, startled eyes. Was Penny right? Could her friend be interested in him? This was disastrous! He had no intention of becoming involved with this woman! He had to find a way to discourage her! His mind whirled, trying to find a way to turn her down. Finally his panic got the better of him. He dropped the towel and ran for his own apartment.

Both women were silent for several seconds. Finally Bernadette looked at Penny in astonishment. "What the heck was that?"

Penny's expression matched her friend's. "I guess he's shy." Penny felt a measure of relief, though. Obviously, Sheldon wasn't as interested in B as she had feared.

* * *

At precisely 7pm on Monday, Penny knocked on the guy's door. Leonard opened it and smiled at Penny warmly. She managed to not roll her eyes, but it was a near thing. She stepped into the apartment and nodded to the other two guys. She looked around but didn't see Sheldon.

"So," she began slowly, "thanks for having me over, guys. Is Sheldon not here?"

"I am present," he said as he came down the hall. He took a seat on the couch and looked at the guy beside him. "Raj, move. Penny should sit there so she can converse with everyone equally."

Penny frowned slightly. "Oh, that's okay, Sheldon. He shouldn't move for me." Raj looked back and forth between Penny and Sheldon with wide eyes. Penny smiled softly at him. "I'll just sit over there," she said, pointing to the armchair.

Raj squeaked loudly and jumped up. He scurried around the coffee table and took the armchair quickly. Penny watched him rub his left thigh and glare at Sheldon who was looking at her a bit too innocently. Penny hid her smile and walked over to sit down. Sheldon nodded approvingly and she was tempted to roll her eyes at him this time.

"So, what's Doctor Who about? Is it a movie?" she asked the group. Sheldon's jaw dropped and the other guys cringed away. Penny looked at him with guileless eyes.

Sheldon slowly stood and his friends edged away, waiting on him to start berating her for her lack of knowledge on what he considered one of the most seminal television shows of all time. Instead, he walked over to the dvd shelves and pulled Doctor Who season 1 down. Sheldon placed the first disc in the player and returned to his seat.

"You must start at the beginning in order to fully appreciate the series, Penny. We shall watch the first episode and then Leonard will go pick up our meal for us. I can explain anything you do not understand then."

Penny grinned and settled back, her shoulder brushing his. He twitched slightly, but didn't pull away or complain, so she didn't move away. "Okay, sugar. Start 'er up."

Leonard looked at Raj and Howard who looked as stunned as he felt. Something strange was going on here, and he wasn't sure he wanted to know what it was. Since when did Sheldon pass up the opportunity to lecture someone?

* * *

Howard looked at Raj and Leonard before looking back across the room at Penny and Sheldon. Sheldon kept trying to explain to Penny why Doctor Who was such a huge influence on television while Penny kept arguing that the show was mangling history.

"Penny, Penny, Penny," Sheldon said condescendingly, "you are missing the point, entirely. Every time a Doctor and his companions travel into the past, they do not merely observe. They inadvertently change history. You cannot expect the history on the show to match ours. Besides, in fiction, strict adherence to past events is negotiable. Otherwise the only television that would exist is the History Channel."

"Sugar, I'm not saying the show has to mimic history perfectly," Penny said as she yawned. "I'm saying I didn't enjoy the episode because it made a mockery of a very important event in history. Don't get me wrong, I liked the characters fairly well. They're a bit over the top at times, but most shows are like that. It was interesting."

Sheldon huffed with irritation and crossed his arms. "You are missing the point," he said.

Penny held up a hand and yawned again. "Sheldon, can we discuss this later? I'm worn out and I need to get some sleep. I have an early shift tomorrow and then an appointment with my manager."

Sheldon sighed and nodded. He stood up when Penny did and walked with her to the door. "Your manager has auditions for you?" he asked curiously.

She faltered a step and looked at him strangely. "Uh, yeah. Just going over some opportunities. Anyway, I'll see you later, okay?" She looked over at the kitchen table. "Bye guys."

The others waved and she left the apartment. Sheldon stared at the door with a frown. Penny had looked confused by his question for a second. Why would his asking about her auditions make her lie to him?

* * *

Penny sighed as she looked over the paperwork in front of her. It was a golden opportunity. A station in Boston wanted her. She would have a prime slot five days a week. They were offering four times her salary here. There was just one catch. She would have to move.

Penny stood and grabbed her purse. She needed fresh air and maybe some advice. She fired off a quick text to Bernadette and headed out the door.

* * *

Sheldon listened to Leonard and Howard argue about the effectiveness of the new expansion packs they had purchased for Mystic Warlords of Ka'a as they walked up the stairs to the fourth floor. He pulled his keys from his pocket just as a guy in a delivery uniform knocked on Penny's door again.

"Don't suppose you guys are 4B?" the UPS guy asked.

Sheldon shook his head. "That is Penny's apartment."

The UPS guy walked over and shoved an envelope into Sheldon's hand. "You know her? Good enough for me. Sign here."

Sheldon frowned and looked at the screen. "I am not Penny."

The guy shrugged. "Look, either sign or the girl waits two days before I get back to her. It's almost Thanksgiving and it's busy as hell."

Sheldon glared at him and dutifully signed for the package. He unlocked his door and carried the large envelope back to his bedroom for safe keeping. Now that he had signed for it, it was his responsibility to ensure it's delivery. He set the envelope down and started to turn away. He froze as the addresses jumped out at him.

 **WBTR 96.7 FM**

 **1894 Union Street**

 **Los Angeles, CA 90012**

 **Queen, Penelope**

 **2311 Los Robles Ave Apt 4B**

 **Pasadena, CA 91104**

Sheldon slowly reached back out and picked up the envelope. He sat down on the edge of his bed and stared at it, willing the words to reshape themselves and read differently.

Queen Penelope. Queen P. His mind whirled at the implications. Surely not! Surely he would have known instantly that Penny and his beloved Queen P were one and the same. Right? There had to be another explanation. Queen P knew him. Had conversed with him. Surely if she was his neighbor she would have told him so! Sheldon's temper began to rise slowly.

Why hadn't she told him? Was this a joke? Was she secretly laughing at him for being so oblivious? She was supposed to be his friend! She was the woman he was trying to draw closer to, and all this time she had been laughing at him!

Sheldon clutched the envelope in his fists as fury overtook him. He was not about to allow some small town hick waitress/DJ to make a laughing stock of him!


	8. Chapter 8

_**Sheldon has made the startling discovery that his neighbor Penny and Queen P are one and the same.  
**_

* * *

Penny sat down with a sigh. Bernadette was sipping her wine and swinging her legs while Penny ordered her drink. Penny looked at her friend and producer and sighed heavily. "Did James tell you?" she asked.

Bernadette shook her head. "He said he had something to talk to you about, and that you would tell me."

"Well," Penny said hesitantly. "We've got an offer from a new station."

Bernadette smirked. "We get offers three times a year. What makes this so different?"

Penny sat back as her drink was set in front of her. "This is from a station in Boston. 6 to midnight Thursday through Monday. $51,500 a year each to start."

Bernadette's eyes widened and she choked on her sip of wine. She leaned forward once she got control of herself. "Are you kidding me?" she hissed. "Penny! This is huge! This a REAL offer!"

She nodded. "There's just one catch," she said softly. "They want us IN Boston."

Bernadette leaned back and her mouth hung open. She looked at Penny with astonishment. "Relocate?"

Penny nodded slowly. "And they want an answer before our current contract ends in four weeks."

Bernadette put her elbow on the table and laid her forehead on her open palm. "That's not much time," she said softly. She studied Penny carefully. "How do you feel about this? About making such a huge change?"

Penny shook her head slightly. "Things are just starting to work out," she answered softly. "My life is starting to make sense, Bernie. But this? We've always talked about what it would be like to be in a top market. This could get us there."

Bernadette nodded and watched her friend. "Yes, we've also talked about how cool it would be to live on a deserted island, become pilots and travel the world, or open a thoroughbred farm. What do _you_ want to do?"

Penny looked at her best friend apologetically. "I want to stay here," she said softly.

Bernadette smiled and reached out to take Penny's hand in hers. "Good. So do I."

Penny relaxed with relief. "I'm so glad," she smiled. "I don't want to hold you back, B, but I like it here. I like my little apartment. I like my time slot." She blushed lightly. "I've made some new friends. I like my life, Bernie."

The petite blonde grinned widely. "And Cooper?"

Penny blushed even fiercer. She dropped her gaze to her wine glass. "And Cooper," she admitted softly.

* * *

Sheldon heard her unlock her door. He stood from his desk and picked up the envelope. He calmly walked across the floor to the door and stepped into the hall. Three steps and he raised his hand.

Knock. Knock. Knock. "Penny."

Knock. Knock. Knock. "Penny."

Knock. Knock. Knock. "Penny."

The door opened and she smiled up at him. "Hello, Sheldon. How are you today?"

His hands clenched tightly for a second before he held out the envelope. "This was delivered for you earlier. I signed for it. Next time, manage your time more efficiently so that your mail doesn't need to rely on my presence for it's delivery. My time is too precious to waste on your frivolity."

Penny's jaw dropped at the icy tone he used. "Sheldon, what's happened? Are you angry with me?"

His jaw clenched for a second. "Why would I be angry with you? It's not as if you lied to me about who you are, or what you do for a living. It's not as if you have ever deliberately misled me."

Penny gasped as the barb hit home. Sheldon spun and walked back across to his apartment. He didn't even look back as he entered his apartment and slammed the door. Penny looked down at the package from the radio station and slumped against the door frame. Shit.

* * *

He didn't tune in on Friday. He wasn't sure if he was avoiding her, or if she was avoiding him. Maybe they were avoiding each other. Either way, he hadn't seen her since Tuesday. He paced his room during the hours of her broadcast, unable to relax, but determined to not give in to the desire to listen to her show.

Saturday he convinced Leonard, Howard and Raj to join him in a D&D adventure that took them well into Sunday morning to finish. When they left to get some sleep, he gave a sigh of relief. One week down. He was certain that within a month he would no longer feel the desire to listen to her voice. Sheldon listened to Leonard snoring on the couch, wrapped tight in an afghan. He turned on his laptop and began working on his latest theory.

Eighteen minutes later he opened his email. He couldn't resist anymore. He needed to at least re-read her last email. He was stunned to see two new emails. One from Penny and one from Queen P. He quickly exited his email and turned to Facebook. Maybe some Candy Crush would help him relax.

* * *

"Still nothing?" Bernie asked as she placed a cup of coffee in front of Penny.

Penny shrugged noncommittally and cycled through her play list. It had been three weeks since Sheldon had gotten angry with her. She stayed away for the first week, hoping his anger would lessen some so she could explain. But apparently it hadn't. She had sent several messages until he blocked her. She had tried a dozen times to speak to him at their building. He would look right through her. She had even tried to communicate with him through her broadcast, but he never responded. She was certain, now, that he had stopped listening.

Bernie sat down across from her. "So, what are you going to do?"

Penny took a deep breath and looked at her best friend. "We need to talk about something." She fiddled with the stirrer in her coffee nervously. "I am going to meet with the reps from Boston. I know you don't want to leave Pasadena, and I don't want to make you go somewhere you won't be happy. But I think I'm going to take the job. I mean, I haven't made up my mind for sure, but I want you to think about going too. I'll understand if you don't want to. And if you stay, James will probably let you have your pick of programs…"

Bernadette leaned over and grabbed Penny's hand. "We're a package," she said softly. "Always, right?" Penny nodded with a halfhearted smile. Bernadette chose her words carefully. "Penny, one thing, though. Are you taking this job because you want to, or because of Sheldon? Think about it, please. If we move, you may never get the opportunity to mend fences with him. Sure, he's mad now, but what about when he calms down?"

Penny sighed and started another three songs without bothering to address the listeners. "I'm just fooling myself," she said sadly. "I thought I could take things slow, get to know him. But I didn't trust him. I should have told him who I was when I realized he was a listener. He'll never trust me, now. And why should he? I've got more hangups than a telemarketer. I have trust issues. We both know that. No, I fooled myself into thinking I was ready to try this, and I'm not. I may never be. But staying here, wanting what I can't let myself have? It hurts, Bernie. I might be better off if I went to Boston."

"You would be running away," Bernie said gently.

"I know," Penny whispered.

* * *

Sheldon stared at his whiteboard without really seeing it. Once again it was Friday. He was running out of willpower. On Tuesday he had seen Penny leaving the building on her way to the Cheesecake Factory. He had been so very tempted to say hello to her. She no longer made the effort, just continuing down the stairs without a word. Now that Leonard had renewed his carnal relationship with that she-devil, Leslie Winkle, 2311 Los Robles Avenue was becoming an absolutely impossible place to live.

A knock on his door distracted him. He glanced at his watch with a frown. It was too early for lunch. He sincerely hoped it wasn't a grad student. He hated trying to deal with annoyances. He walked over and opened the door after another round of knocking. "Yes?"

Bernadette adjusted her glasses. "Hello, Sheldon. Let's talk," she said, entering the office and walking over to a chair.

Sheldon watched as Bernadette made herself comfortable. He sat down behind his desk and glared at her. She rolled her eyes and crossed her legs. "You keep that up, and your face will freeze that way," she chastised.

Sheldon crossed his arms. "I cannot imagine anything you and I have to speak about."

"How about Penny?" Bernadette asked. "Why don't we start there."

He glared even harder. "She lied to me."

Bernadette nodded. "In a way, yes. We knew you were a listener and we kept that from you. I won't apologize for that though. It was necessary."

"Why?" he demanded, breaking his internal pledge to not ask for any explanation. "What possible reason could you have for hiding that from me?"

Bernadette tilted her head. "Sheldon, how long have you been listening to the show?"

He blushed slightly. "Three years."

"Penny started in radio in high school. She got a job after school at this tiny local station. Mostly as a gopher, bringing coffee to the DJs or running errands. When she was in her junior year there was a night when the DJ showed up too drunk to broadcast. She stepped in and ran the show. Two weeks later the owner offered her a four hour block on Sundays. She's been in the business for 9 years now. When she graduated high school she wanted to go to college and get a degree in broadcasting, but she couldn't afford it. It's been a hard road to get to where she is now."

Bernadette pulled some discs from her purse. "One of our biggest dreams is to be in a top market. It's a pipe dream mostly. Without a degree it may never happen. Most stations want that little paper from a college before they give you a shot. Three weeks ago, we got an offer from a station that could launch her into the top markets. There's a catch, though. We have to go to Boston for the opportunity."

She looked up as he gasped. She nodded knowingly at his expression. "Six years ago Penny got involved with a guy. He spent the first year making her feel loved and special. He spent the next two tearing down her confidence and making her feel small and worthless. She didn't hide who she is to trick you. She did it because you scare her. You are a threat to the independence she has finally won back."

"She fears me?" he asked softly, painfully.

The blonde nodded. "Not physically, Sheldon. But emotionally, yes. Because she likes you. You mean something to her. You're the first guy to break through her defenses in a long time. That's why I'm here. She would have told you about being Queen P eventually. I am absolutely certain of that. She was trying to get to know you first. To make sure you wouldn't hurt her."

Bernadette stood and placed the discs on his desk. "She's going to meet with them in the next few days. I'm sure she'll take the job. These are clips from our show over the last couple of weeks. I thought you might find them interesting."

Sheldon looked her intently. "What do you hope to get out of this conversation?"

Bernadette shrugged and headed to the door. "I guess I'm hoping you'll give her a reason to stay."

* * *

Penny slipped on her heels and walked over to the closet for her jacket. She had four hours before she had the meeting with James and the Boston reps and there was something she needed to do first. She stepped out into the hallway and locked her door. She turned and looked at the door across the hall from her. Her vision turned blurry and she headed to the stairs.


	9. Chapter 9

_**Sheldon and Penny haven't spoken in weeks. Bernadette steps in to try and keep her friend from making a mistake.**_

* * *

Sheldon smoothed his shirts nervously. He raised his hand and made three sets of triple knocks softly on her door. He had spent a couple of hours thinking about what Bernadette had said. Then he had given in and listened to the discs. Most of it was the parts of the show where she addressed the listeners.

 _ **This is one of those nights, my dear Night Owls, that I find myself with little to say. See, I did the worst thing a person could do. I gave up. I didn't even realize I had, either. Not for a long time. By the time I did realize it, I was so used to it, that it was hard to fight the trap I was in. I was comfortable there. So what do you do when you don't know what to do?**_

 _ **It's been a long night, my dears. This last one is for a special friend. I hope you're listening.**_ Bernadette had left in the last song of the night. It was Hear Me by Kelly Clarkson.

 _ **Sometimes, it doesn't matter what our intentions were. It doesn't matter**_ _ **why**_ _ **we do what we do. We are not alone on this planet. Each and every thing we do affects those around us. So never forget, it's not just you. It's you and me, and him and her, and them. We're all in this together, my Night Owls. Treat each other with respect and care. You never know who you'll miss until you no longer have them in your life.**_

 _ **Tonight I'm going to break one of my own rules. After all these years of dedicated listening, I feel I own you an explanation as to why I shun the public eye. Quite simply, I was in an abusive relationship for a long time. I was ashamed of myself. I had always thought of myself as a strong woman. Yet, I allowed someone to treat me as if I was worthless. To make me believe I really was worthless. I was afraid that if anyone found out, they would think I deserved it. So, I hid my past. But I didn't just hurt myself by doing this. I hurt a friend. A friend who no longer trusts me because I hid who I was from him. My dears, take my advice. Be honest with the people in your life. If they truly care about you, they will support you. If they don't, then you're better off knowing now. I'm sorry, Sheldon. I hope someday you can forgive me.**_

He was still angry, but now his anger was redirected. Some Neanderthal had hurt her so badly that she found it difficult to trust any more. He knew all there was to know about emotional abuse. He had lived with it his entire life. From the time he could walk and talk he had been the object of ridicule and bullying.

After a few minutes he knocked three more times. He waited 30 seconds and placed his ear to the door. He couldn't hear anything. Maybe she was still at work? She didn't have to be at the station for six hours. He pulled out his phone and called the Cheesecake Factory.

"Hello?" he said quickly. "I would like to speak to Penny Queen, please."

A bored voice sighed. "Sorry, can't help you. Penny walked in about an hour ago, handed in her sweater and said she was quitting."

Slowly Sheldon lowered the phone and hung up. Quitting? He felt his chest tighten alarmingly. Had she had taken the job in Boston already? He turned and walked back into his apartment. Leonard and Leslie looked at him curiously as he sat down in his spot.

"Hey, buddy," Leonard said nervously. The last thing he wanted to deal with was a stuck Sheldon. "Are you okay?"

Sheldon's mind was whirling. He swiftly ran through over a dozen scenarios. There had to be a way to fix this. He just needed to find it.

* * *

Sheldon sat on the edge of his bed, waiting impatiently for Penny's voice to fill his ears. He still hadn't figured out what he was going to do. He wasn't sure what was best for either of them. If he asked her to stay, would she miss out on a huge opportunity? If she went to Boston, what kind of relationship could they possibly have? Did he even really want a relationship? They weren't even in any sort of relationship with each other, and already things were complicated.

But every time he thought about her leaving, it made his stomach hurt and his chest feel tight. The introduction for Queen P's show began, drawing him out of his musing.

" **Good evening, my dear Night Owls. Before we begin, I have an announcement to make. I'm taking a little time off soon for some personal business. I know this is not much notice, and I hope you'll forgive me, but some things have been kind of building up lately and I can no longer put off dealing with them. For now, though, let's lose ourselves in a little old school."**

Under The Boardwalk starting playing and Sheldon ripped off the headphones. She was leaving. There was no doubt now. She was going to spend the next couple of weeks packing, moving, and settling in. According to the contract with Boston that Bernadette had shown him, her show would be Classic Rock and she would have a nearly prime time slot. It was more money, more exposure, and more listeners. It was a golden opportunity for her. He hated it.

* * *

Bernadette sat a large coffee in front of Penny and took her own seat. She took a deep breath and looked at her oldest and dearest friend. "Penny, before I ask you about this time off thing, there's something I need to say."

Penny wrapped her hands around the Styrofoam cup and nodded. "Yeah, I have a few things to say, too."

"I went to see Sheldon Cooper," Bernadette confessed softly. "I took him a cd. I edited together a few parts from our last few shows for him to listen to. I was hoping it would light a fire under him to talk to you. After I left, I realized how selfish I was being. I love you, Penny. I just want you to be happy. You're my best friend and I know that if, well, _when_ we leave, you're going to regret it eventually. Because I think you love him. I think he loves you. You two are just too stubborn and afraid to admit it."

"I turned Boston down," Penny interrupted softly.

Bernadette gasped, her expression hopeful. "You did? Oh my god, Pen! That's great! I was so hoping you would! I mean, I would have supported you either way, and like I said, we're a team, but I am so glad you chose Sheldon!"

"I didn't turn them down for him," Penny corrected. "I did it for me." She leaned in close to the mic and hit the button to put her on air.

" **It's a beautiful night, my dears. The kind of night that's perfect for kicking off your shoes, getting comfy and watching the stars. Did you know that in ancient times, many believed that their destinies were written in those bright spheres? They believed that the stars guided their lives. What do you see when you look up at the sky? Destiny? Fate? Or, like me, do you just see the vastness of the universe and feel awed?"**

Penny started a couple of ads to be followed by a trio of songs. "I quit," she said bluntly. "James asked if I would stick around until he found a permanent replacement, then I'm off the air. I told James I'd ask you to stay on as producer for whoever he hired. There's a few possibilities. A guy from Fresno has an AM top 40 show. He's got a good show. And Marcy Higgs from L.A. is looking for a change."

"You quit?" Bernie repeated hollowly. "Why… why did you do that? How could you do that without talking to me first?" she demanded angrily.

"Because I wasn't planning on it," Penny said with a slight frown. "Truthfully, I made the appointment with James and the Boston guys fully intending to take the job. Bernie, please, don't be upset with me. I …I don't know what happened. I was sitting at home, thinking about the demographic in Boston and suddenly it hit me. I didn't want to be there. I'm tired. I felt so worn down. Bernie, you know as well as I do that I've been dissatisfied for a while now. It hit me like a flash. I knew what I wanted to do, so I quit."

Bernadette took a moment to push aside her feelings and concentrate on her friend. "What is it you want to do?"

"I'm going to go to school full time. No more just playing around with some random class every other semester. I've got some money put back, and I've applied for financial aid. I got complacent, Bernie. I have always dreamed about a degree in broadcasting. I'm almost 28. I want that degree before I turn 30. Call it a goal, or a deadline, but I need to do this, and I need to commit to it fully."

Bernadette's anger melted away immediately. She knew how long Penny had wanted this. She had always tried to encourage her friend to go to school when she could. "But why did you have to quit?"

Penny smiled ruefully. "Because I know me. If I don't commit to this fully, I won't finish it. I have to focus 100% on this, B."

"But how will you pay for school? Or your bills?" she asked.

"I'm going to live on campus," Penny explained. "I spoke to a financial aide counselor at school and she said I'm a good candidate for a couple of grants." She sighed softly and reached out to grip Bernadette's hand. "I have to do this," she said softly. "I'm miserable with the way things are now."

Bernadette sniffled and moved so she could hug Penny tight. "Okay. You're my best friend. I'll help in any way I can."

Penny hugged her back and smiled. "Thanks, B. You're the best."


	10. Chapter 10

_**Well, hell. Penny has quit the station. Bernadette is staying on to be producer for Penny's replacement. Sheldon doesn't know what to do.  
**_

* * *

Sheldon sat in his spot and stared at the TV without really seeing it. His mind was numb. Penny, his beloved Queen P, was leaving not just her job, but his life. He couldn't even say goodbye. Not after the way he had treated her when he discovered who she really was. Bernadette's tapes had opened his eyes to things he hadn't known or realized. He had known Penny was wary of relationships. He had known she was skittish about emotions. Of course she would keep secrets.

After all, he had not told her about his past. The bullying, the teasing, the people who called him crazy. He needed to talk to her, to try and make amends for the way he reacted. He wasn't good at apologizing. He wasn't good at expressing emotions at all. So, the question was, what should he do now?

"Aren't you going to work?" Leonard asked from the kitchen.

Sheldon looked over, surprised he hadn't heard Leonard enter the room. "No," he said after a moment. "I will be taking a personal day. I have some urgent matters to attend to."

Leonard shrugged and grabbed his jacket and messenger bag. "Fine. I'll be late getting home. I have a date," he said smugly.

Sheldon nodded, uninterested in Leonard's plans. "Have a good day."

Leonard left and Sheldon stood up. He needed to do some research. Hopefully he could find a blog or chat room that would offer advice on his situation.

* * *

Penny took a deep breath and smoothed her shirt before lifting a hand and knocking softly on Sheldon's door. She heard footsteps and took another steadying breath as the door opened. She smiled at Sheldon hesitantly when he came into view. "Hey."

Sheldon's eyes widened as he stared at her. "P-Penny. Hello."

"Can we talk?" she asked softly. "I... I know you're mad at me, and I don't really have any excuse for what I did, but I don't want things to end like this."

He stepped back quickly. "Please come in."

Penny eased past him into the apartment. "Thanks," she said. "I won't stay long, I promise. I went by Cal-Tech, but they said you took the day off. Is everything okay?"

He nodded and motioned her to the couch. "Yes. I was just... I had things to do that I couldn't take care of from my office." He blushed lightly. "I am glad to see you."

She sat down and angled herself to face him. "Sheldon, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you. See, not many people know I'm Queen P. I swear I would have told you. Eventually, I mean. It's just that..."

"Bernadette explained it to me," he interrupted. "I understand."

Penny bit her bottom lip and clenched her hands. "Sheldon, I need to tell you some things, but it's not easy for me. I'm not used to sharing things about my life. Bernadette's been my only real friend for a very long time."

"You don't have to explain," he said quickly.

Penny smiled sadly and shook her head. "Yes, I do. I need to, because I want you to know why. I _need_ you to know why." She took a second to collect herself. "Kurt wasn't always cruel. At first he was sweet and gentle. Later on, he got... mean. Not often. It was a slow build up. By the time he got really abusive, I'd been with him for almost three years. B helped me get away from him.

It was rough. I'd never really been on my own before. I moved out of my parent's home into Kurt's. The first year after I left Kurt, I was scared every night. Scared he's find me. Scared I'd fail. I only started to get my life together about a year ago. Then I met you."

Sheldon started to speak but Penny held up a hand quickly. "Please. If I don't say it all now, I might never. You scare me, Sheldon. Not because I think you would ever abuse me, but because you could hurt me so much more than Kurt ever did. I care about you, Sheldon. A lot. And that's a risk for me. You could break my heart," she whispered.

Sheldon's heart thudded in his chest. Was she saying what he thought she was saying? "Penny, are you saying you like me?"

She nodded and blushed. "Sheldon, you're a wonderful guy, and I think that if I'm not very careful, I could fall for you. Hard."

"You don't want to, though," he said weakly. Was he going to be the one to end up with the broken heart?

"I can't," she corrected. "Not right now. I'm making some big changes, Sheldon. I'm going to go back to school. I have to concentrate on that. I want to get my degree, and I can't afford to let anything distract me from that."

Sheldon shook his head. "Penny, I would never try to interfere with your education." He stood quickly and paced a few feet. He drew on all the courage he possessed and faced Penny. "I love you," he said softly. "I would never do anything to hurt or hinder you."

Penny stood and walked over to him, her eyes filling with tears. "Sheldon, I have absolutely nothing to offer anyone right now. I need to get my life in order."

He stared down at her hopelessly. "I don't want to lose you," he admitted.

Penny slid her arms around him hesitantly. Sheldon quickly pulled her into a tight hug. She rested her cheek against his chest. "I don't want to lose you, either," she whispered.

* * *

 **22 Months Later**

She could see Sheldon sitting beside Bernadette in the audience. She sent him a wink as she accepted the diploma the Dean held out. The last couple of years hadn't been all smooth sailing. They had fought and made up, and laughed and argued. They had grown closer with each passing day. Sheldon hated her living on campus, so when he had received tenure last year, he bought a house and insisted she move in.

His mother had been alarmed by that, and took quite a bit of convincing to prove to her they weren't 'living in sin'. In fact, they had maintained a strictly platonic friendship for the last two years. She knew Sheldon loved her, and in all honesty, she loved him, too. But she held firm to her plans. No romantic entanglements until she held her degree in her hand.

Tonight they would have their very first real date. He was taking her to dinner and then to see a play. Tomorrow she had an appointment with James at the radio station to talk about coming back to work. James had already told her she had the job. They just had to figure out where to put her. B was already looking forward to being a team again.

She had a wide open future in front of her, a good friend by her side, and best of all, a man she loved and trusted. It hadn't been an easy road, but they had made it.


End file.
